Clerkship No. m409-001
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY AT
THE INSTITUTE OF LIVING (IOL)
TOPS (Teaching Our Positive Side) Program- Longitudinal
Location:
Braceland Building on the IOL Campus
Committee Members:
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Faculty
Duration:
10 months, ½ day/wk x at least 40 weeks
Months Offered:
July - April
No. Of Students:
1 per year
Prerequisite:
Third Year Curriculum
Contact Person:
Nora Hanna, M.D. at (Phone) 545-7648; (FAX) 545-7650
Call Alison Wellman at 860-545-7746 once your clerkship
has been scheduled.
Description of Program
Goals and Objectives:
To gain appreciation of the multifaceted aspects psychiatric illness.
To develop the clinical strategies necessary for conducting a therapeutic interview of the
pediatric patient. To have an improved understanding of the psychosocial aspects of childhood
mental illness. Increased understanding of working with children in a group milieu and to use
this information to help develop a differential diagnosis and treatment plan. To enhance the skill
of physician self-observation, in which the student strives to recognize both helpful productive
and counterproductive emotional reactions which affect course of medical illness.
Program Description:
The TOPS Extended Day Treatment Program which runs daily Monday-Friday from 2pm to 5pm
on school days and from 8:30am-11:30am during the summers and on school holidays. Group
based program skills that provides therapeutic care through clinical, social, and recreational
modalities.
Proposed Activities and Responsibilities:
With support of close supervision:
To conduct interviews of the patient and family.
To develop an assessment and working diagnosis.
To develop and follow-through with a treatment plan which is brief and focused on the solution
of a specific problem.
To enhance the skill of physician self-observation.
To participate in individual supervision with child and adolescent faculty.
To choose a topic of interest as the focus of a literature search and brief presentation.
Facilities that will be available:
The clinical settings for the TOPS Program.
Formal Teaching:
One to one teaching will be provided during scheduled hours each week, in addition to clinical
case supervision. Weekly teaching conferences will also be available at the Institute of Living
and include Psychiatry departmental grand rounds and case conferences as well as the child and
adolescent psychiatry residents didactic courses.
Amount and Type of Supervision:
One to one supervision will be provided on a scheduled basis and on a selective basis. Also,
supervision during groups by team members will take place. This intensive format is designed to
provide each student with the opportunity to learn at her or his own pace. Supervision will focus
on two major areas: concrete clinical skills and the more elusive task of physician selfobservation.
Readings:
1. Gemelli (1996). Normal Child & Adolescent Development. American Psychiatric Press,
Inc.
2. Jellinek & Herzog. (1990). --Psychiatric Aspects of General Hospital Pediatrics.
3. Kazdin & Weisz (2003). Evidence-Based Psychotherapies for Children and Adolescents.
Guildford Press
4. Martin, et.al (2003). Pediatric Psychopharmacology. Oxford Press.
5. Mash & Barkley (2003). Child Psychopathology. Guildford Press
6. Morrison & Anders (2001). Interviewing Children & Adolescents. Guilford Press
Revised: 5/2007